DIRECTV has come through again… giving the public critical information when it’s most needed. This time it’s the coming of Hurricane Ian, the latest but not the last in a series of storms to hit the southeastern US and the Caribbean. As they have done in the past, DIRECTV is making two channels of live TV available to everyone across the country.
361-1 and 361-2
DIRECTV has launched channel 361-1 as the “Severe Weather Mix Channel.” This channel lets you see four channels at once and switch the audio to hear the one you want. This is similar to the mix channels they use for other purposes.
Channel 361-2 is currently showing a live feed of Fox 35 from Orlando, which is carrying news and information about the storm. If Fox 35 goes off the air due to the hurricane, which is quite possible, expect DIRECTV to switch to another channel as quickly as possible.
To tune to channels like this, type in the channel number (361) followed by the DASH button to the left of the zero, followed by the number 1 or 2.
Why are they doing this?
DIRECTV doesn’t have to do this. As a purely subscription television service, they are not bound by any rules for serving the public good the way that over-the-air broadcasters are. It’s also worth saying that during most severe weather events, especially heavy rain, you would expect that the people in the middle of it wouldn’t be able to get satellite TV. So why do they go to the trouble?
We all live in an interconnected world. Most of us are close to someone who lives in the path of the hurricane, whether it’s a friend, relative, or a friend of a friend or relative. This is the world we live in today. We all want to know how our loved ones are doing. Unfortunately hurricane season is really only about halfway through and this may not be the only time that DIRECTV chooses to provide this essential service
For those in the path…
If you’re reading this, it means you still have power and internet. Please, do everything you can to stay safe. Follow the orders of local authorities and remember, no physical thing is worth dying for. With luck, I’ll hear from you again tomorrow.
